2015-16 PTA HANDBOOK

• Welcoming Letter •• Executive Board •

• PTA Meeting Dates •• Turn-It-In Tuesdays •• Join NHSD E-link •

• Facebook •• Check Writing Policies •• Incentive Programs •

• Committees •

• P.T.A. Membership •• P.T.A. Volunteer •

• Holiday Party Volunteer •• School Store Volunteer •• Open House Baskets •

The West View P.T.A. would like to welcome you all to West View Elementary for the2015-2014 school year! We are excited to reconnect with returning families, and lookforward to getting to know families that are new to our school. The P.T.A. Board andChairpersons have already been working along-side our Principal, Mr. Jesse Simpson, onpreparations for this school year. We are fortunate to have his support, and as a result, ourP.T.A. has the privilege of hosting many special events and programs many other schoolssimply do not!

But here’s the catch, we need YOU to be part of the action so these traditions cancontinue. So, we encourage you to join the PTA and get involved…here’s what you need todo:

1.) Read over this ! It will help you to better understand how our P.T.A.operates, and it will be a valuable source of information when a question arises,so tuck it in a safe place for keeping!

2.) Complete the enclosed form, and send it in with yourmembership fee by TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th. A P.T.A. Membership is required toVolunteer in any way in the school!( Only our P.T.A. Board & Chairpersons, and those wishing to Chaperoneclass Field Trips, are required to have their Clearances on file!!)

3.) Complete and detach the multiple enclosed forms,and send them in by TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th.

4.) Come to the ! Where me make event plans, discuss ways toimprove, brainstorm new ideas etc.

5.) Stay informed, utilizing the , West View Weekly and our very own page.

6.) Remember . If something from P.T.A. (registrations,orders, volunteer information etc.) is due for turn in, you will find the Deadline willfall on a Tuesday.

We thank you in advance for your help in making this school year great! Yourinvolvement, from participating in fund-raisers, to meeting deadlines, to giving of your timeand talents in big and small ways…it all enriches your Student’s experience here at WestView Elementary…and it will enrich YOUR life too!

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask a P.T.A. Board Member orChairperson - we are happy to help you find your own unique place in the West View P.T.A.!

Karen Steinberger [email protected] 412-716-4590

Chris Nolan [email protected] 412-931-0546

Monica Anderson [email protected] 412-721-7798

Val Brown [email protected] 412-939-3510

Nicole King [email protected] 412-931-3008

P.T.A. Meetings occur monthly in the school Library and begin at 6:30pm. Theyare about an hour in length - give or take! Enter the building using the door onChalfonte Avenue, closest to the wooden fence just before the front playground.Babysitting is available, in a room just down the hall from the meeting. Markyour calendars now, and come out to be involved and share your ideas -everybody is welcome!

• Tuesday, September 8th ~ 6:00pm Meet-n-Greet prior to Meeting!• Tuesday, October 13th

• Tuesday, November 10th

• Tuesday, December 7th

• Tuesday, January 12th ~ 6:00pm Holiday Party prior to Meeting!• Tuesday, February 2nd

• Tuesday, March 8th

• Tuesday, April 12th

• Tuesday, May 3rd

Also, mark your calendar (& make your work requests!) for the following SpecialEvents that we have planned, so far. These are some our biggest events of theyear, and require plenty of P.T.A. Volunteers to make them a success!

• Halloween Parade & Classroom Parties: October 30th

• Holiday Shop Week: December 14th-19th

• Winter Holiday Classroom Parties: December 23rd

• Scholastic Book Fair Week: February 8th-12th

• Open House: February 11th

Again this school year, the P.T.A. will be utilizing the North Hills School District’s E-Link system to communicate with youabout our PTA events and programs. The will be sent out viae-mail every Friday to anyone that has registered for the NHSD E-Link service. Ifyou are not yet registered for NHSD E-Link service, here is how you do it:

1. Go to the district website: .2. Click on red the “ button located page header3. Click the tab the top of Quick Links list4. Fill in your family e-mail addresses and required personal information.5. Select to assure that you receive your

newsletter.This electronic newsletter will cut down on the paper flyers that come home as wellas keep you informed in a more up-to-date manner. If you do not have internet ac-cess, please fill out and return the form sent home by Principal, Jesse Simpson. Wewill then send home a printed copy of the information with your student.

In general, will be a great source for all your North Hills SchoolDistrict information. Once you are in there, choose under the

tab. Once under the West View tab, you will be able to access ourpages containing information ranging from a calendar of school events, to

P.T.A. meeting minutes, to P.T.A. forms and an archive of the previously sentnewsletters.

If something from P.T.A. (registrations, orders, volunteer information etc.) is due for turn in, you will find the Deadline will fallon a Tuesday. So, on Monday evening, you can ask yourself, “what’s due ontomorrow’s “Turn-It-In Tuesday?” and have your things in ready to go. As weseek to make it easier to stay organized at home, we ask that you to strive tomeet those very important Deadlines so that your Student does not miss out on

Are you on Facebook? The West View P.T.A. is! We use the FB Page tosend out deadline and event reminders, last-minute updates, NHSD newslinks, PDF files of fliers/forms that are sent home, and post pictures taken byour Yearbook Committee. So if you are on Facebook, be sure to stop by and“like” us at

When writing checks for payment for P.T.A. events, orders, etc please:●Make checks payable to West View PTA!●Write only ONE check per family!

●On Memo Line, write students Name, Grade & Teacher!●Place payment in an envelope with corresponding form, labeled to the

P.T.A. Committee it’s intended for!

Once your payment has been submitted, here is the process the check goesthrough:

1. The Committee Chairperson will collect and log in the payments.2. After the turn-in deadline, the Chairperson will turn ALL the collected

payments over to the P.T.A. Treasurer.3. The Treasurer will process and deposit the checks into the P.T.A. account.

Because of this multi-step process, carried out by P.T.A. Volunteers, it is possible acheck may not clear your account for about a MONTH!!

However, if your check is returned due to insufficient funds, here is theprocedure:

●The P.T.A. is charged a fee from our bank and we will, therefore, charge youa fee.

●The P.T.A. will send home a letter requesting that you send in the amountof the check, as well as, the $25 fee to cover any of our bank charges, andany other costs that we may incur due to each returned check.

●This new payment must be sent to the P.T.A. in the form of cash or amoney order.

● If a check is returned, all items will be held until all monies are paid for.●For the remainder of the school year, you will NO longer be permitted to

write checks! You will need to send in cash or a money order.

Thank you so much for your cooperation. If you have any questions, please donot hesitate to ask. We hope you understand that we are trying to do what isbest for the children here at West View Elementary.

Register your Giant Eagle Advantage Card for Giant Eagle Apples for Students program, and whenever you shop for groceries and pick up your prescriptions, you are contributing to our school!Register your Advantage Card at www.gianteagle.com or by calling1-800-474-4777. Use the 12-digit number noted below the barcode on theback of the Advantage card. West View Elementary's School Code is:

West View Elementary will again participate in theBox Tops for Education Program. This is an easy way

for West View Elementary to earn extra money. Start clipping and saving your Box Tops

There will be two turn in dates, one in October and then again in the February.Please clip, trim and bundle in groups of 50 (preferably in a Zip Lock bag orenvelope). Details will follow before each turn in date.

If you or a family member has a Target RED Card, Target Visa Credit Card or Target Debit Card, take a moment to register the card for the Take Charge of Education program. Target will donate up to 1% of your RED card purchases to W.V.E.You can sign up for Take Charge of Education at your local Target Store, online atwww.target.com or by calling 1-800-316-6142. Please be sure to designate WestView Elementary to receive the benefits.

West View P.T.A. participates in several retailer and product incentiveprograms. These programs allow you to earn money and/or products for theschool as part of your regular routine! All you have to do is quickly register forthe retailer programs and clip some labels from your groceries! And spread theword to your family and friends, so they can contribute too!

Our P.T.A. is busy, busy, busy! We sponsor a multitude of programs, and eachCommittee requires Parent Volunteers like YOU to give of your time, big or small,to be successful! Read through our Committee descriptions and see where yourtalents and interests fit best!

We kick off our school year with a family event, that gives ourstudents and staff the opportunity to meet some new faces before the year begins. (* Volunteers for thisevent will not be needed until after this school year ends.)

Once in the Fall and again in the Spring, we host a Book Swap! Students can swap5 gently read books from home for 5 “new to them” books from our collection of used books. Help isneeded during the day to help set up the books for swapping, as well help students choose books etc.

Our Communications committee oversees the West View Weekly E-Linknewsletter, the West View Monthly Calendar, the Front Marquee and the Facebook page. Their goal is touse these multiple platforms to keep you as informed as possible about P.T.A. programs and happenings.

The P.T.A. is proud to offer the West View Dance Program for our students. If you have a tinydancer in your life, this might be a great place for you to lend your time and service. The Dance Programholds its own fundraisers and an annual year-end Recital.

The North Hills Education Council meets once a month to discuss timelytopics with regards to education. We need volunteers willing to attend the meetings and report back to ourP.T.A. Meetings.

We host a Family Fun Night in the Fall, Winter and Spring to provide anopportunity for fun for the whole family. Volunteers are needed to organize events like roller skating, hay-rides, or Pirate baseball games. We welcome new ideas and lots of helping hands to make these eventsa success!

At the annual Open House night in February,our 4th Grade Parents host a Concession and Bake Sale. Parents are needed to bake, organize goods,coordinate pizza and sub orders and work shifts at Open House.

The P.T.A. hosts one major Fall Fundraiser that provides the budget for these listedcommittee projects, PLUS class Field Trips, school Assemblies, student Homework Folders and AssignmentBooks etc. Volunteers help to double-check totals, distribute product, and provide sales incentives for thesale. Various smaller fundraisers also occur through-out the school year.

In December Students will have the opportunity to visit our P.T.A. Holiday Shop.Students can shop for up to 6 people, from a great variety and selection of low cost items. Nothing bringsthe kids more joy that to shop “on their own” for their family for the holidays. MANY Volunteers are neededall week to help kids shop quickly and wrap/label their gifts. The success and continuation of the eventrelies on the Volunteers, so pick a day to come out and lend a hand - it will put you in the holiday spirit!

In coordination with our Holiday Parties, students can send a special messagegram, with attached treat, to their friends, staff, or siblings for 50-cents each. Help is needed putting theGrams together, dividing them by classroom and distributing them on party day.

The P.T.A. also raises funds through multiple Incentive programs. (See details on theIncentives Programs page of this handbook.) Volunteers are especially needed to help trim and count outBox Tops for Education.

The Literacy Committee hosts three Scholastic Books Fairs during the school year, whichrequire many volunteers to help students shop for books. In addition, Literacy works closely with ourLibrarian, Miss Tumbass, to help host both the “Author’s Day” assembly and our annual “Library Night”event.

The large Bulletin Board just past the Front Office is for the PTA to decorateand communicate. Creative volunteers are needed to keep the board looking great and up-to-date!

The P.T.A. likes to have at least one West View P.T.A. Memberattend North Hills School Board Meetings and report back at our P.T.A. Meetings. Having multiplerepresentatives looks good for West View, and creates flexibility when one person can’t attend due to othercommitments.

The P.T.A. hosts a large Basket Raffle at theannual Open House. Each classroom donates a Basket, and therefore, each classroom needs a Parent tobe the Coordinator to communicate the basket theme, collect the donations and put the basket together ina presentable fashion.

The P.T.A. hosts two holiday parties during the school year - Halloween and WinterHolidays. Only three Parents are needed/allowed per classroom to plan out activities and snacks, gatherneeded supplies and come in to lead the party. Halloween Party is Oct. 30th and Winter Holiday Party isDec. 23rd.

P.T.A. Membership is required to be involved in ANY of these P.T.A. Sponsoredevents, The Membership Chairperson will confirm your membership before allowing you Volunteer in anyway.

Thanks to P.T.A. fundraising, W.V.E. was proud to havea new playground installed in the back of the school in the spring of 2013. Now, we need to moveforward with phase 2 of the project - raising funds for a new FRONT playground! We need new ideas andlots of energy as we look install a larger system than in the back!

Our school store is located in the Cafeteria and sells a variety of school suppliesand novelty items. (Students are not permitted to spend more than $1 a day.) The Store is open Monday,Wednesday & Friday during the students’ lunch periods. Volunteers are needed to run the store and tendto inventory.

The Science Fair gives all students a chance to experiment with science and showwhat they have learned! Local individuals and businesses donate their time to come and judge theprojects. Parent volunteers are needed to help arrange display tables, greet judges, escort students andaward prizes.

It’s important to teach our students the benefits of giving back! If you have aheart for serving others, this committee is for you.

This committee helps to provide refreshments for our PTA Meetings, aswell as host two Staff Appreciation Luncheons during the school year. Volunteers are needed to helppurchase items, decorate as needed, set tables, arrange food and drinks and clean-up afterwards.

Our P.T.A. provides a school-wide directory to ease your communicationneeds. Volunteers are needed to log in class lists and students information.

The Volunteer Coordinator takes all the Volunteer forms you’vefilled out and turned in, and creates a database for each Committee Chairperson. If organizing paperworkand information is your strength, this might a great project for you!

West View Day is our year-end carnival celebration for the Students! A day filledwith games, face-painting, karaoke, inflatables, snacks, prizes and more! This day takes a LOT of ParentVolunteers - no helping hand is turned away. And it’s probably the most fun you’ll have volunteering allyear!

Do you love photo-taking and scrap-booking? If yes, the Yearbook Committee needsyou! Pictures need taken of interesting classroom activities, group pictures, school concerts and our P.T.A.sponsored events like field trips, assemblies, red-n-white days and more! This committee is all aboutcapturing and preserving great memories for our students as we put the Yearbook together cover to cover.

While Teachers coordinate their own Field Trip Chaperone needs, the following CLEARANCES are now required, per N.H.S.D.policy to abide new PA Laws, for eligibility to chaperone class field trips:

1.) Must have a2.) Packet includes a Volunteer/Chaperone Agreement, PTA Volunteer Application, Act 168 Disclosure Release, Act 126 On-line Training3.) Website: http://epatch.state.pa.us/home.jsp4.) Website: http://www.compass.stae.pa.us/CWIS5.) Cost $27 ~ Website: https://www.pa.cogentid.com

All the Clearances must be turned into the W.V.E. Office Secretaries for verification.

WEST VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

On behalf of the West View P.T.A., we would like to take this opportunity to welcomeyou to the 2015-16 school year and invite you to join the West P.T.A. The WestView P.T.A. offers a wonderful variety of volunteer opportunities for parents, grand-parents, friends, family members, community members, and anyone else that hasa positive interest in the students at West View Elementary School.

Membership is only $6.00 per person for the entire school year. Included in this membership fee is thevoting privilege at general meetings, representation at the state and national P.T.A. levels and liabilitycoverage during any volunteer experience at West View Elementary School or P.T.A. sponsored activity. Thisis why it is very important that you join the P.T.A. if you plan on volunteering in any capacity throughout theschool year. ( Only our P.T.A. Board & Chairpersons, and those wishing to Chaperone class FieldTrips, are required to have their Clearances on file!!) Please take this time to join the P.T.A. today and getinvolved in your child’s school activities. We will be happy to find volunteer opportunities that fit into yourschedule and any amount of time that you are able to give would be greatly appreciated.

We look forward to seeing you throughout the school year. Have a great year and enjoy your experienceat West View Elementary!

Sincerely,

Colleen MollenauerMembership Committee Chairperson(412) 931-6777 (Please call if you have any questions)

Membership Fee = $6.00 per person. Checks made payable to West View P.T.A.

Name___________________________________________________________ Phone #________________________________

Name___________________________________________________________ Phone #________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________

E-mail(s)_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Student’s Name_____________________________________________ Grade/Teacher_______________________________




P.T.A. USE: Cash _________ Check #_____________

Name___________________________________________________________ Phone #________________________________

E-mail___________________________________________________________ Available: ____ School Day ____ Evenings




«Most Communications will be sent via e-mail, unless paper OR phone is requested here: ____

Back to School Event ⌚

Book Swaps

Dance Program ⌚

Educational Council Rep

Communications

Family Fun Night ⌚

4th Grade Open House Sales ⌚

Fundraising ⌚

Holiday Shop

Holiday Grams ⌚

Incentives ⌚

Literacy

Lobby Directions

NHSD School Board Rep ⌚

P.T.A. Membership ⌚

Playground Project ⌚

Science Fair

Service Projects

Social & Hospitality

Student Directory ⌚

Volunteer Coordinators ⌚

West View Day Carnival

Yearbook ⌚

Classroom Help

GENERAL P.T.A. HELP ⌚

Get involved with the West View P.T.A.! First, be sure to send in your P.T.A.Membership form. Next, simply check off the Committies you are interested in givingof your time and talents. Then turn in your form by .(For more information on Committee activities and needs, read through thedescriptions listed earlier in this packet.)

Requires School-Day Availability ⌚Evenings/Work on Your Own Time

⌚

The P.T.A. hosts two holiday parties during the school year - Halloween andWinter Holidays. The Halloween Party is Friday, October 30th in the afternoonand the Winter Holiday Party is Wednesday, December 23rd in the afternoon.

All Party Parents MUST hold a current P.T.A. Membership to participate.Only three Parents are permitted per classroom to plan out activities and snacks, gatherneeded supplies, prepare treat bags and come in to lead the party. Please turn in yourform by to be considered for one of the volunteer slots. All PartyParents will be notified if they are participating in as a Party Parent by October 2nd.

The P.T.A. Will provide a budget of $2.00 per Students, Teacher & Para-Professional in theClassroom. You will be reimbursed the day of the Party. Please save your receipts to turn into the Holiday Party Head Parent.

Please note the upper grades have the choice to combine their classroom efforts and holda larger Party in the Gym. 5th Grade may use the Gym for Halloween and 6th Grade mayuse the Gym for Winter Holidays. In this case, Head Room Parents will coordinate together.

Questions & Concerns, contact Party Parents Chairpersons:• Kristen Kelly ~ 412-939-2826 ~ [email protected]• EJ Milarski ~ 412-760-3631 ~ [email protected]

Please fill out a SEPARATE FORM for each of your students. Mark your numbers of forms here: _____

Parent Name________________________________________________________ Phone #____________________________

E-mail___________________________________________________________________________________________________


«Communications will be sent via e-mail, unless phone call &/or paper copy is requested here: ____

Check ALL the parties that you are interested in participating. Depending on the number of volunteers, you may onlybe able to participate in one Party. Head Parent is simply the main contact for each room party and responsible forthe organization of Parent Volunteers for the class.

____ 1st Choice

____ 2nd Choice

____ Willing to be Head Parent

____ 1st Choice

____ 2nd Choice

____ Willing to be Head Parent

The West View P.T.A. hosts a large Basket Raffle Fundraiser at the annual OpenHouse in February. Each classroom donates a Basket, and therefore, each classroomneeds a Parent to be the Coordinator. As Coordinator, you would choose the baskettheme and communicate the theme to the teacher and class parents, collect the donations fromthe students and put the basket together in a presentable fashion for the raffle.

Some themes from past years include Gardening, Movie Night, Baking, Car Wash, Arts & Crafts, IceCream Sundae fixings, Spring Cleaning, Made in Pittsburgh, Popcorn Lovers, Backyard Fun andFamily Game Night. BUT you can be as creative as you like with your theme - we welcome freshideas!

If you are interested in being a Basket Coordinator for your child’s class, become a P.T.A. Memberand then fill out this form & turn in it by


E-mail___________________________________________________________________________________________________


«Communications will be sent via e-mail, unless phone call/paper copy is requested here: ____

The West View P.T.A. School Store is located in the Cafeteria and sells a variety ofschool supplies and novelty items at low cost.

The School Store is open Monday, Wednesday & Friday during the Lunch Periods - 11:30am to1:00pm. Volunteers MUST be P.T.A. Members and are needed to run the store, as well as tend toinventory. If you are interested in working the School Store, please submit this form by

Questions? Contact the School Store Chairperson:Nicole King ~ 412-432-9259 ~ [email protected]


E-mail___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Days of Availability: _______________________________________________________________________________________


«Communications will be sent via e-mail, unless phone call/paper copy is requested here: ____

The P.TA. Provides every family at West View Elementary with a copy of theStudent Directory for the year. All of the Students’ names will be publishedwith their Class, however, only the additional personal information you provide will beincluded. This is an excellent source of information when you want to plan a birthday party,set-up a play-date, or confer with a friend over homework and special class projects.

Please fill out this form with all the information that you want to include in the directory by. Siblings may be included on the same form as long as the

personal information in the same. If any personal information is different, please useseparate forms.

Questions? Contact Student Directory ChairpersonRobin Haney ~ 412-931-9697 ~ [email protected]





Students’ Address_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Home Phone_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Name of Mother/Guardian_________________________________________________________________________________

Cell Phone_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Email Address____________________________________________________________________________________________

Name of Father/Guardian__________________________________________________________________________________

Cell Phone_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Email Address____________________________________________________________________________________________

Directories will be sent as a PDF, VIA E-MAIL, no later than October 18th!! If you needa PAPER copy of the Directory instead, please include the name & teacher of your oldeststudent that we can send it home with.

Student: _________________________________________________________ Teacher: ______________________________

Documents

2015-16 PTA HANDBOOK